Cocoa plant
(Theobroma cacao L.)

Originally native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America, Theobroma cacao L. is one of the oldest cultivated plants in these regions. Today, around 22 species of the genus Theobroma can be found in Central and South America. During European colonisation, cocoa was introduced to Europe, mainly by Spanish explorers. Today, the plant is cultivated in tropical growing regions along the equator, for example in the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria and Brazil. To grow at its best, it needs a warm and humid climate with constant temperatures between 20 and 30 °C.

The cocoa plant is an evergreen tropical tree that reaches heights of up to 15 metres in the wild. When cultivated, it is usually pruned to 4-8 metres for practical reasons. It features large, glossy leaves and small flowers that grow directly on the trunk or on thick branches, a botanical phenomenon known as “cauliflory”. When successfully pollinated, the star-shaped, whitish-yellow flowers with pink accents develop into intensely coloured cocoa fruits. These also grow on the stem, become reddish, yellow or purple in colour depending on the variety, and contain up to 60 seeds, the so-called cocoa beans.

Even the Maya cultivated various species of Theobroma. Cocoa seeds were considered a means of payment or were used together with the fruit pulp to make ritual drinks. The cocoa fruit was also traditionally used in various settings. Sources from the colonial period, for example, tell of its use to combat weakness or to strengthen the body. Today, attention is focused primarily on the antioxidant properties and nutritional relevance of certain cocoa ingredients.

Cocoa beans boast a variety of beneficial plant substances:

• Cocoa flavanols such as epicatechin belong to the group of polyphenols and are noted for their antioxidant and vasoactive properties
• Theobromine and caffeine are considered mildly stimulating and vasoactive
•  Minerals such as magnesium, iron and potassium play a part in muscle function, energy metabolism and nerve conduction

Cocoa flavanols are of particular interest: studies have shown that daily consumption of 200 mg of these substances helps to maintain normal, endothelium-dependent vasodilation. This, in turn, aids normal blood flow. Flavanols promote the body's own production of nitric oxide (NO) in the endothelium, the inner cell layer of the blood vessels, thereby helping to relax the vascular muscles and maintain the elasticity of the blood vessels.